Before The Bestseller: Your Proven Path to Book Sales Without Wasting Time & Money

by Alex Strathdee, Laura Russom, Steve Sarner

Are you ready for readers?

In January 2022, Joseph Nguyen had no platform, no followers, and no brand—just an idea for a book.

By December 2024, he was a New York Times bestselling author with over 1 million copies sold.

What happened in between?

Whether you're a first-time author or looking to reignite sales, Before the Bestseller reveals the proven paths nonfiction authors take to launch books that sell—and keep selling.

Inside, you'll How authors including Mike Michalowicz of Profit First (1M+ copies sold) focused on micro-communities to create echo-chambersWho Richard Fenton and Andrea Waltz sent bulk forms to that sold over 500,000 copies of Go For NoWhy James Clear of Atomic Habits leveraged the 3-2-1 email list format for long-term salesWhat made Rich Dad Poor Dad the #1 bestselling finance book of all timeHow Doug Evans used social media networking to sell 100,000+ copies of The Sprout Book at book launchWhy John Strelecky sold over 8 million copies by handing his book out at Chamber of Commerce MeetingsHow the author convinced 11 universities to send his book to 40,000 students& many, many more book marketing tactics used by bestselling authors proven to sell millions of copies

No matter if you’re traditionally published, hybrid, or self published, this is the most comprehensive guide on book marketing and selling more copies of your book in existence.

You'll love this extraordinary selling guide, because it is backed with data and the stories will keep you motivated.

Stop guessing. Start succeeding. Your bestseller begins here.

Get it now.

Genres: Business, Writing

222 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 4, 2025

Reviews

[Mimi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super practical, easily applicable, and worth referencing at any point of your book's journey. I've already given away my copy to an author who needed it more than me. I can tell I'll be recommending it to a lot more authors in the future. Don't just write but market on authors!

[Maria Paula Castellanos Monroy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best marketing guide!

This extraordinary and very complete book offers readers marketing strategies used by successful (non-fiction) authors who have sold many copies and concentrate much more on the practice than the theory of marketing!

I really enjoyed this guide for its practical approach and the fact that the authors will always have an invitation to action through their tools so you can discover the magic of marketing, in addition to having a very wide range of marketing strategies from niche creation and identification to communications automation and strategic relationships! I loved it!

If you are looking to learn from the best and are looking for a really complete guide, then this is the book you must have in your hands, because it is a clear text, which gives you endless practical strategies to completely erase the theoretical gaps. Highly recommended!

[Ivan M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before the Bestseller is a book that shares several techniques used in sales from the biggest authors and editorials out there to publish their content and achieve success. The authors joined forces and crafted a detail-orientated read that explains how to position your book on the first shelf, using resources wisely and maximizing income.


This book was an eye-opener, there is so much behind writing a book that I wasn´t considering, and this read gave me new tools to understand the market. It also has proven examples from famous authors, making it interesting for lovers of literature like myself.


Overall, a recommended read for beginner writers, and I think it can make a significant difference.

[Daniel Moreno · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an incredible book I just finished reading! It truly enriched me on every page. It's super interesting how the author gives us a super-strong focus on powerful marketing strategies, including the use of micro-communities, email lists, and mass sales to generate huge book sales. Not only that, but he also presents practical and successful case studies, like many best-selling books today. I really like this book because it's based on data and presents motivating success stories. Perhaps, this book is focused on authors, but since I'm not an author, I think it gave me valuable insights to improve my work and how I can leverage great tools to move my business forward. Truly, highly recommended.

[L Becerra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book!

This book is a masterpiece for new writers or anyone who wants to take the leap and publish their own book!
The authors developed the content in a smooth and engaging way, using simple vocabulary and including real-life examples, useful tips, exercises, and step-by-step guides to ensure a successful launch. This makes the book a must-have if you’re planning to publish.

I liked how it presents a complete 360-degree plan (social media, traditional PR, corporate partnerships, etc.), allowing the reader to seize every opportunity and maximize success.

Highly recommended and definitely worth reading if you want your book to be the best seller! Great read!

[Elizabeth Berger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alex is the real deal... and so is his advice! I'm a huge fan of all the great nuggets of knowledge he sends my way in his weekly newsletter so it's wonderful to have all his best nonfiction book marketing tactics compiled in one, easy to refer back to location. I know I'll be recommending this book to so many clients!

[Evelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am an avid reader and I am curious about all genres; I strongly believe that something positive can be extracted from each of them. So, while I consider this title to be mostly dedicated to authors, any type of reader can enjoy it.
Something that I found very valuable is the book’s emphasis on processes, since many times we think that changes happen overnight and we get frustrated when this does not happen.
This insightful guide will help authors to overcome the ups and downs of book marketing and to be able to keep up in this competitive world. It includes not only invaluable information but also tools, personal experiences and inspiration.

[Merrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone who has ever written a book knows that selling it is just as hard as writing it. Before the Bestseller offers a step-by-step guide for authors who want to turn their book dreams into reality. Alex Strathdee pulls back the curtain on the publishing world, offering actionable tips, marketing strategies, and personal insights that go beyond theory. This book a must-read for anyone serious about launching a successful book.

[Jeremy P. Madsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read a LOT about book marketing over the years, and I have to say—this book is gold!!

Things I loved:
-I loved, loved, loved Alex's framework at the beginning of setting a goal for how many copies you will "get out into the wild" with your marketing before moving on. I loved this because (as he states), it provides a clear end goal. Yet it's not a goal that feels limiting. It's not saying, "I'm going to promote my book until it sells 3,000 copies, then give up on it and admit it's not going to sell more." Instead, it's saying, "I'm going to get 3,000 copies of my book out there, then leave it up to my book's intrinsic quality and those 3,000 readers to get to 5,000, 10,000, 100,000, however many copies out there that the world wants and needs."

-I loved the comprehensive table of contents

-I loved that the book is packed with very specific tactics and nitty-gritty "how-to," yet is organized into an overall framework that makes strategic sense and is easy to implement. (A lot of marketing advice I see is either one or the other.)

-I loved how short it is! I read or skimmed the whole thing in a single afternoon.

-I loved the breakdown of how to create a detailed marketing plan and timeline

I've been reading Alex's newsletter tips for almost 2 years. It's so nice to have all his best tips and tactics compiled into one place, easily searchable, and organized by topic.

[S Tyty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strathdee’s literary piece is a proper guide for all those who want to launch their book or who are thinking about it.
The book is packed with strategies, ideas, and tips, most of which are taken from real life. It has a practical approach, and it is easy to follow. Whether you have written books before or you are just a newbie like me, reading this book is the perfect start either way.
The content of this book is of a high quality, but the most important thing is that the strategies it proposes are reliable since others have tried them before. How cool is that? Success is guaranteed. I loved this book!

[Almiria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Does it seem like everyone is publishing books these days and making a fortune? Are you interested in publishing books but unsure where to start? In Before the Bestseller, you will learn how to publish successfully by looking at numerous case studies. Discover how Rich Dad, Poor Dad became such a hit, how Doug Evans was able to leverage social media to sell over 100,000 copies of his book, why Joseph Nguyen went from a literary “nobody” to a New York Times best-selling author in only two years. The book presents clear, actionable advice on how to go about creating a bestseller and the authors provide plenty of insightful tips. I am giving this book five out of five stars.

[Blake Silber · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a straightforward guide to what works in selling books. The author shares lessons from his own experience and offers actionable advice you can put into practice immediately. It serves as a good overview for anyone interested in promoting and selling a book — or for those who simply want to understand and take more control of the process. Some of the material may be familiar to readers with publishing experience, but no doubt it has a number of fresh insights. It’s a quick, easy-to-digest read that can spark new ideas and provide structure to what could be viewed as a random process. It's worth reading and using.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book talks about how some books do better than others at selling. It gives practical marketing tips, from using email lists to smart networking and a bunch of social media strategies.

It is a simple read but full of data and real life experiences that actually worked. Tactics that are key if someone is wanting to sell a book or for those that are starting to write, things to consider if the wish is to reach as many people as possible.

To sum up, I think the book gives good tips that can help writers and people in charge of the marketing area.

[Jeremy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alex (and team) lead with value right up front with fast action any non-fiction author can take to sell more books. Only then do they get into the meat of the book, which is organized in 3 main sections, making navigation quick and easy for just the tactics you need. Depending on where you are in your publishing journey, you can jump right to the part you need NOW - and read ahead for the tactics you'll need next. Super valuable read, highly recommended for any non-fiction author looking to start and grow the snowball of book sales.

[Crystaline · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book for free at a conference which basically proved Alex's point in the book as I have already recommended it to multiple authors. I think it's very useful for the many new authors who don't have a huge following and feel overwhelmed about where to start. Especially when there are so many people selling book marketing without real results. I look forward to applying some of what I learned.

[H. Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recently attended a writing seminar at Ball State University and was given a copy of this book as part of my attendance. While I am not a nonfiction author, I still found the contents quite helpful for preparing to launch my upcoming novel. I especially appreciated how the author broke down the process of launching a book into very actionable steps. I would love to see a similar book for the fiction author.

[Vic Lodato · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing resource for any author trying to learn the ins and outs of book marketing. This book offered valuable insights from cover to cover and I feel much more equipped to market my book after reading. I really can't recommend this enough for any author out there trying to learn the nuances and tips and tricks that lead to more sales.

[Elisabeth M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alex is extremely generous, always sharing many of the great secrets used by other authors to help you get wherever you want with your book. Although I am not a non-fiction writer (for now), I write Epic Fantasy, Historical Fiction and Romantasy, his honesty, closeness are appreciated and he always provides useful tips and advice ( ... and interesting quotes :))

[Ilia Markov · Rating 4 out of 5]

Superb and concise overview of marketing a non-fiction book – lots of good ideas even for someone who's vested in digital marketing.

The most significant and most important idea for me was seeding books – the concept that you have to share your book for free with thousands of people before it takes off.

[Rob Neto · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of useful information

A fellow author recommended this book. Lots of useful information, even for fiction writers. I write both non-fiction and fiction and learned things in this book that I can use to market both. I skimmed through most of the scheduling recommendations. I see the usefulness in presenting it once, but felt it was a bit much to continue presenting it.

[Jane Hiatt · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are writing a book, definitely read this book. I got so many good ideas from it. @Alex Strathdee is knowledgeable about how to get a book out there and generous with his advice. I took notes and will definitely implement many of his ideas. I got ideas of my own as I reflected on his suggestions. I plan to take his advice and, now that I've read it, read it again.

[Brian Sachetta · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book packed with tons of helpful marketing hints for new and established authors alike. Alex and his team are great at what they do, and this book is a true reflection of that. I'd also recommend checking out his podcast of the same name!

[Patrick Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book EVER for writers that need guidance organizing & executing a plan for marketing & sales success. Based on "10,000 hours" of experience in the industry, the author uses common sense & business wisdom to steer readers toward their goals. I wish I had this book $5,000 ago!

[Shruti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many ideas in the book were useful like creating echo chambers, and some tactical ones around ratings, reviews and authors.amazon.com. I liked the format of the book as well - very byte sized and focused.

[Rasheed · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book but no real list to go to

Hello, I liked the book but it didn't really have that much info on where to market my books at specifically.

[Doug Hanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Plenty of helpful tips, but so distracted.
The extended chapter on how to write AI prompts was an example of the rabbit trails this dude chased.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know nothing in this space and this helped me figure out next steps for my book launch.

[Rafael Garay · Rating 2 out of 5]

I expected more…

Mainly focused in the USA market. I expected something more deep. Use this book just like and introduction and search for more.

[Laura Skulman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I’d read this before publishing my first book. Alex Strathdee makes marketing feel simple and doable — no huge ad budgets, no shouting into the void. It’s about finding your readers and showing up where they already are, which instantly feels more natural. The tips are practical, easy to follow, and I’ve already started using a couple. For the first time, marketing doesn’t feel like a mystery.

[Koja Kalos · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book says it's only for nonfiction authors, but as a debut author of a gothic fiction novel, I found lots of helpful tidbits of information!